1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a folding stroller capable of being compactly folded when not in use.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a folding stroller for carrying a baby outdoors for walking and shopping is foldable when necessary. Various folding strollers designed to facilitate storage and carrying have been proposed.
A folding stroller of this kind is designed on the basis of a principle analogous with the principle of pipe-frame type folding chairs. Such a folding stroller has frames provided with casters and capable of being folded and unfolded in the front and rear directions. The frame is formed so as to be folded and unfolded in the right and left directions so that the frame can be folded in a small width. When the frame is thus folded in the right and left directions, a handle connected to an upper end part of the frame extends in an L-shape. The handle thus folded in the L-shape is put on the arm of a user to carry the folded folding stroller when getting on and off a train or a bus.
The basic height of the folding stroller of such construction is determined so that an adult person is able to put hands easily on the handle connected to the upper end of the frame to push the folding stroller. The height (length) of the folding stroller in a folded state is basically the same as the height of the folding stroller in an unfolded state. Therefore, when carrying the folded folding stroller, the casters touch the ground and hence the folded folding stroller is difficult to carry. The arm holding the folded folding stroller must be raised high to prevent the casters from touching the ground, which makes carrying the folded folding stroller for a long time difficult.
A folding stroller mentioned in Japanese Patent No. 2572278 has a foldable handle which can be folded in two to reduce the height (length) of the folding stroller in a folded state.
However, the folding stroller of such construction requires carrying out a troublesome folding operation including operating a locking button placed on the handle, folding the handle, and folding a guard and the associated parts. This known folding stroller is not locked in the folded state and a locking mechanism for locking the folding stroller in an unfolding state does not work automatically when the folding stroller is unfolded. Therefore, it is possible that the user fail to lock the unfolded folding stroller and the folding stroller is unfolded unintentionally incompletely. Despite its complicated construction, the frame of the known folding stroller is bent and extends forward when the folding stroller is folded, which is not preferable in view of reducing the size in the front and rear directions of the folded folding stroller and is practically disadvantageous.
The inventors of the present invention have proposed a folding stroller having axially contractible frames capable of being easily contracted by a sliding operation (U.S. patent application No. 09/482,272). This folding stroller is simple in construction, easy to fold, has a locking mechanism capable of being automatically engaged and disengaged when the folding stroller is folded and unfolded, and has vertical and front/rear dimensions capable of being effectively reduced when the folding stroller is folded.
The present invention has been made in connection with the above folding strollers and it is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a folding stroller having a footrest capable of being surely and safely locked and unlocked by folding and unfolding operations when the folding stroller is folded and unfolded.
The present invention provides a folding stroller including a pair of right and left front legs respectively provided with front wheels at their lower ends; a pair of right and left rear legs pivotally joined to the right and left front legs, respectively, the right and left rear legs being respectively provided with rear wheels at their lower ends; a handle supported on the right and left front legs; a footrest having opposite ends respectively connected to lower parts of the right and left front legs, the footrest including two support arms respectively having inner end parts pivotally connected with a pin, and a footrest locking mechanism for restraining the two support arms from turning on the pin to keep the footrest straight; an unlocking member placed inside at least one of the right and left front legs, that is selected for use as an unlocking member holding front leg; and a release wire extended inside the unlocking member holding front leg, the release wire having one end connected to the footrest locking mechanism and the other end connected to the unlocking member.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the unlocking member placed inside the unlocking member holding front leg has an operating part extending outside through an opening formed in the wall of the unlocking member holding front leg. Preferably, the unlocking member is a pulley supported for turning about a horizontal axis perpendicular to the axis of the unlocking member holding front leg, and the pulley includes an operating lever as the operating part. Preferably, the handle has right and left straight handle posts supported for axial sliding relative to the right and left front legs, respectively, the operating part of the unlocking member projects from the unlocking member holding front leg so as to be in contact with the lower end of the straight handle post supported for axial sliding along the unlocking member holding front leg, and the unlocking member is moved in an unlocking direction as the straight handle post is moved axially downward along the unlocking member holding front leg.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the folding stroller further includes a pair of right and left holders put respectively on the right and left front legs, and the right and left holders slidably supporting the right and left straight handle posts of the handle, respectively; and a pair of straight handle post locking mechanisms put respectively on the right and left straight handle posts to lock the right and left straight handle posts at lower positions on the right and left front legs or at upper positions on the right and left front legs.
In the present invention, it is preferable that the right and left front legs and the right and left rear legs are interconnected so as to be extendible and contractible in the right and left directions.
According to the present invention, the release wire having one end connected to the footrest locking mechanism for locking the footrest in an unfolded state is extended through at least one of the front legs, serving as the unlocking member holding front leg, and the other end of the release wire is connected to the unlocking member placed inside the unlocking member holding front leg. Therefore, the footrest can be surely and safely locked by the unfolding operation and can be surely and safely unlocked by the folding operation. Particularly, when the unlocking member is moved in the unlocking direction by the movement of the straight handle post, the footrest can be unlocked or locked simply by the sliding movement of the straight handle post when folding or unfolding the folding stroller. Since the unlocking member can be surely held in an unlocking state by the straight handle post when the footrest is unlocked, the folding stroller can be folded without any hindrance. Since the release wire for unlocking the footrest is extended inside the front leg and is connected to the unlocking member placed inside the front leg, the release wire is concealed. Thus, the release wire does not spoil the aesthetic appearance of the folding stroller and the obstruction of the unlocking operation by the engagement of the release wire with an external object can be surely prevented.